


Sleepless Nights

by cheesebun



Category: Linked Universe - Fandom, The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords, The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Linked Universe (Legend of Zelda), Nightmares, Panic Attacks, also me to me: no (heart emoji), me to me: will you ever write anyone other than four?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-08
Updated: 2020-09-08
Packaged: 2021-03-07 08:01:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,233
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26349769
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cheesebun/pseuds/cheesebun
Summary: Nightmares aren't unusual in their line of work, but that doesn't mean that Four is willing to broadcast every time he has one. (Good thing his companions aren't willing to simply look the other way)
Relationships: Four & Hyrule (Linked Universe)
Comments: 24
Kudos: 136





	Sleepless Nights

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [The Sanctuary](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25970581) by [Razzberrie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Razzberrie/pseuds/Razzberrie). 



> tw: panic attacks
> 
> Please heed any warnings and take care of yourselves first <3

Multi-colored eyes snap open in the quiet of a dark forest. Panic floods Four in an instant, filling him with dread and pushing him to his feet. He’s up before he even registers moving, stepping over his sleeping companions and swiftly making his way to the tree line. Once he makes it past the ring of warmth provided by the fire in the middle of their camp, a chill stealing what little was left of his remaining sleepiness away, Four freezes in place, overcome with fear. 

Something was wrong. Something was _wrong_ but he couldn’t move at all. His legs felt unnaturally stiff, and if he shifted even a little he feared they would shatter. He rubs at his face in an attempt to scrub the dream he had just awoken from from his mind, chest aching fiercely. His brothers, all gone—forcefully merged together as though they had never even been distinct people in the first place—Four can’t even bring himself to finish the thought.

The feeling in his chest intensifies, his heart swooping like it was falling from the tallest spire of Hyrule Castle. The shadows around him danced from the faint light of the fire that could still reach where he was standing, bringing unwanted memories to the forefront of his mind. That’s right. They had lost a brother before, hadn’t they? The four of them had never truly recovered from losing Shadow, and Four couldn’t imagine losing anyone else. He wasn’t really _Link_ anymore, he was more but not, the same but different. The thought of having to go back to being _Link_ and no longer _VioBlueRedGreen_ made his heart speed up even more and had hot tears pricking at his eyes. Four isn’t sure when he had started shaking, but the tremors cascade down his entire body, making his knees buckle beneath him and sending him crashing down to the underbrush.

His knees hit the ground hard and he bashes himself internally at the noise he makes as he falls. He hadn’t noticed who was awake for watch when he had woken up, too focused on _getting away_. But that was definitely enough to alert them. Four wasn’t exactly the oldest in their group of travelers, but he prided himself on being mature enough to hold his own. Just like the others, his quests had consisted of the toughest of trials. He battled fearsome beasts, traversed treacherous temples, and stared down his own reflection. Hell, he had even _befriended_ the shadow so many of his companions had struggled to even face. For the Hero of Four Swords, embodiment of the Hero’s Spirit, to be bested by a simple _night terror?_ Four doesn’t even want to imagine the disappointment he would face from those he had started to consider family.

But as much as he wants to move, as much as his mind is screaming at him to _get up_ and go back to his bedroll, lie down and resign himself to a sleepless night of staring at his sword and conversing silently with himself, it doesn’t seem like that is possible. It’s as though his body has turned to wood, rooting deep in the earth alongside the trees that surround him. The trembling in his limbs would not cease no matter how much focus he put into keeping himself still, and his heart continues to race faster than a speeding horse.

Sure enough, it only takes seconds before someone is at his side, almost tripping over his collapsed form in the darkness. Their touch is feather-light, but it still makes him jump when it lands on his shoulder, and they quickly withdraw at the jerk in order to give him a minute to bring his breathing under control.

Four raises his head with difficulty, and in the faint light he makes out Hyrule’s slight form. The traveler’s eyes shine with concern as he sheaths his sword and crouches down to meet Four’s gaze, keeping his distance as to not crowd him.

“Everything alright?” Hyrule asks softly, his voice barely travelling over the space between them. Four surprises himself when he responds with shake of his head despite the humiliation thrumming in his chest and joining his heart in the pool at the bottom of his stomach. Hyrule is easy to talk to, his soft-spoken nature and warm demeanor helping even the prickliest of their group warm up to them all, but Four still has his misgivings.

Would they really give him a hard time if he admitted to a nightmare? The rational part of his mind argued that he himself would not even think for a moment to judge one of the other heroes. Nightmares were a byproduct of their way of life, the hardships leaving mark over mark over mark. However, the part of him that continued to panic even with the reassuring presence by his side yelled at him to stop before he spilled something he would regret.

“Nightmare,” Four manages to choke out through clenched teeth despite the war raging on in his head. Immediately, Hyrule composes himself, determination hardening the soft curves of his face.

The flood of regret is instantaneous. This isn’t what Four had wanted—he was perfectly content with turning inwards for comfort, something he had grown used to on long days when his brothers were his only company. But as Hyrule reaches out to him, helping him stand on cramping, unsteady legs and leading him back towards the warm fire, a gentle hand resting between his shoulder blades, Four realizes that maybe it wouldn’t be so bad. He is _tired_. The gnawing hole in his chest is still there, consuming all of his racing thoughts and howling for more. He doesn’t need to talk, doesn’t need to dig up the pain that was way too fresh in his mind—but perhaps he could get some of the comfort that he had been lacking due to not being able to use his sword to split and see his brothers face-to-face.

So, he settles down in front of the fire with Hyrule at his side, sitting on the ground and leaning back against the fallen log they had used as a bench as they ate together earlier that day. The other heroes sleep on soundly, tucked into their bedrolls, not even budging as the two shuffle around and get comfortable. The warmth of the flames helps banish some of the chill that had settled into his bones as he forayed into the woods, and the familiarity of the soft crackles soothe him in a way they had done time and time again. Four doesn’t fight it when Hyrule’s arm comes up to rest on his shoulders, hugging him close and rubbing up and down in smooth motions. Instead, he simply leans in and listens to the other boy’s deliberate, steady breaths, matching his own to them as the firelight flickers over them.

Four silently thanks Hyrule for recognizing that he wasn’t ready to talk, content to bask in the company of a trusted companion with similar experiences. His chest still hurts, his heart beating a little harder than usual, but it’s a little easier to ignore as he begins to doze.

They stay like that until dawn breaks, wordlessly leaning on each other as the stars twinkle overhead; just the spirit of one hero and the spirit of five in one.

**Author's Note:**

> Four’s nightmare? Went a little like this: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25970581  
> This one is dedicated to the lovely razzberrie, who hurt me by hurting Four ♥️♥️ I just had to balance the scales by _[checks notes]_ hurting him even more? Oops.


End file.
